George w



(Model.)

G. W. LEWIS.

vSEAL LOCK.

.1 v/ J e,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W LEVIS, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-Tl-IIRDS TO ALEXANDER GRICE AND LEROY O. GODIVIN, OF SAME PLACE.

.SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 408,886, dated August 13, 1889.

' Application filed November 6, 1888. Serial No. 290,116. (Model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE lV. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car Seal-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car seal-locks; and it consists in a certain novel construction and Io combination of devices, fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective I 5 view of the seal-lock embodying my improvement-s applied in the operative position to a car-door. Fig. 2 is a face View of the stationary base-plate with the revoluble disk removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the 2o revoluble disk, showing its inner side. Fig.

4t is a longitudinal central sectional view of the seal in its operative position. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the seal applied in the operative position to a car-door.

Fig'. 6 is a detail section through the engaging flange of the disk. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the gravity-pawl. Fig. S is a transverse section of Fig. 5.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates a car-door provided with a staple B, which is engaged by a-slot c in the free end of a hasp C of any preferred design.

D represents a stationary base-plate secured by screws or bolts d d to the car-door adjacent to the hasp and provided at its center with a square boss E, in the center of which is formed a recess F.

G designates a revoluble disk having a central perforation g, registering with a central perforation e in the base-plate, and a pin or rivet II passes through the said registeringperforations and pivots the revoluble disk centrally on the base-plate. The revoluble disk is provided at one side with a triangular opening I, the base 'L' of which may be arranged iiush with either side of the square boss on the base-plate, and a pin K is arranged on the base-plate in such a position that when the disk is turned to the position indicated in 5o dotted lines in Fig. 1 the pin will be visible through the triangular opening. lVhen the disk is in any other position, the outer end of the pin is covered, as shown in Fig. 4.. The disk is further provided with a peripheral inwardly-extending flange L, which operates at its inner edge close tothe surface of the baseplate, and therefore when the triangular opening is out of alignment with the pin the latter is completely concealed by the flange.

The revoluble disk is provided on the side 6o adjacent to the opening I with a flat ear M, which is adapted to be arranged over and bear on the hasp of the door and prevent the free end of the latter from being removed from 'the staple, as shown in Fig. 1, and the disk is .6 5

also provided on the opposite side from the triangular opening with an inwardly-extending detent or projection N, which operates at its free end in an annular groove N in the outer side of the base-plate.

A boss O on the inner side of the revoluble disk projects into the center of the recess F in the base-plate, and is provided with two or more ratchetteeth or shoulders ff; and P represents a gravity-pawl pivoted in the recess F and engaging the said ratchet-teeth or shoulders to prevent the rotation of the disk in the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

Having arranged the seal in the position 8o indicated, turn the revoluble disk to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, pass one end of a seal-tag Q under the edge of the disk and engage a suitable perforation q therein with the pin K, the triangular opening I in the disk enabling this adjustment to be readily accomplished. Y Then turn the disk in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 until its ear M bears on the hasp, in

which position it will be held by the pawl- 9o and-ratchet connection between the disk and the base-plate. In this position of the revoluble disk the detent or projection N is close to the upper edge of the seal-tag, so that if the attempt is Inade to raise the ear t0 re- 95 lease the hasp the said projection or detent will bear against the said tag. The inner end of this seal-tag, which is preferably square, fits snugly'against the adjacent side of the square boss, and therefore it will be evident roo that the pressure of the detentor projection on the upper edge of the seal-tag, caused by the rotation ot the disk, will tear or twist or bend the former and indicate to th'e proper authorities that the lock has been tampered with. This seal-tag should be made ot' cardboard, celluloid, sheet metal, or similar material, which will be readily bent or broken, and thereby permanently indicate that the disk has been turned.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the sealtlg is substituted by a thin metal loop R, whose ends are perforated and fit-ted over the pin K, in which case the ear described in the other form is dispensed with and the disk is provided with a suitable knob or handle S to ena-ble it to be turned. In the modiiication, as in the first form, the efficiency of the sealtag resides in the iactthat the disk cannot be rotated in one direction because of the pawland-ratchet connection, and cannotbe rot-ated in the other direction without breaking or injuring the seal-tag, which in this ease consists of the loop, and therefore any attempt to rcmove the seal-tag or open the door may be readily detected. The loop may be supple- .mented by an ordinary seal, which may fit on the stud K either' above or below the loop R. Division-strips N2 are formed on the baseplate to prevent access to the pawl by a knife or other instrument employed in picking locks.

.llaving thus described my invention, I Claim- I. In a car seal-lock, the combination, with the base-plate having a stationary pin K to receive the seal-tag, ot the revoluble disk mounted on the base-plate and capable of revolution in one direction only, the said disk covering the .tree end of the pin to prevent the removal of the seal-tag, and provided with a detent or proj cetionY adjacent to the latter, and the pawl-and-ratchet connection between the disk and the base-plate to prevent a reverse rotation of the former, sulistantially as specified.

2. In a car seal-lock, the combina-tion, with the baseplate having a stationary pin K to receive a seal tag, of the revoluhle disk mounted on the base-plate and covering` the .free end of the said pin, and provided with a detent or projection, the tag extending under the disk adjacent to the detent or projection, and means to prevent the disk revolving in one direction, substantially as specified.

3. In a car sealslock, the combination of the base-plate provided with a pin to engage a suitable seal-tag, the revoluble disk mounted on the base`plate over the free end of the pin K, and provided with an openingl,adapted to register' with and expose the said pin, the disk heilig further provided with a detent or projection adjacent to the seal-tag to engage and thereby tear or distigure the latter when the disk is turned, and the paWl-andratchet connection between the disk andthe base-plate, substantially as specified.

et. ln a car seal-lock, the combination of the baselplate provided with a square boss and having a pin K adjacent to one side of the boss to receive the scal-tag,\\'l1ich is provided with a perforation to engage the pin and a square end to bear against; the boss, the revoluble disk mounted on the base-plate and provided with a peripheral flange L, fitting at its inner edge close to the base-plate, and a detent or projection N to bear against the edge of the said seal-tag, and the pawl-andratchet connection between the disk and the base-plate, substantially as specified.

In a ear seal-lock, the combination, with the base-plate provided with a pin K, adapted to have a seal-tag engaged therewith and having an annular groove near its outer edge, of the revoluble disk mounted on the baseplato and provided with a detent or projection N, operating in the said groove, the boss on the inner side oi the disk, projecting into a recess in the base-plate, and provided with ratchet-teeth or shoulders, and thc gravitypawl arranged in the said recess and engag ing the teeth or shoulders, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

i3. In a ear seal-lock, the combination ofthe base-plate having a seal-tag fixed thereto, the revoluble disk mounted on the plate and provided with a detent or projection to engage the seal-tag, the pawl-and-ratchet connection between the disk and plate, and the ear on the disk extending over the hasp of the earlock to prevent the disengagement of the lat ter7 substantially as described.

InV testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence ol two witnesses.

GEORGE W. LEWIS. lVitnesses:

E. G. Siccnns, J, Il. Siemens.

IOO 

